Coreopsis plant named ‘Autumn Blush’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Coreopsis  plant named ‘Autumn Blush’ characterized by prolific, bicolor soft yellow and maroon daisy-type flowers on a low mounding plant with linearly lobed leaves.

Botanical name: Coreopsis spp. (Coreopsis ‘Limerock Ruby’mutant×Coreopsis auriculata ‘Nana’).

Variety designation: ‘Autumn Blush’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct hybrid of Coreopsisand given the cultivar name ‘Autumn Blush’. Coreopsis is in the familyAsteraceae. This new cultivar originated from a controlled cross in acultivated area of Coreopsis ‘Limerock Ruby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.15,455) mutant (a proprietary, unreleased plant) as the seed parent andCoreopsis auriculata ‘Nana’, an unpatented plant, as the pollen parent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Autumn Blush’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Autumn Blush’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

-   -   1. Large daisy-type flowers that are about 3.5 cm in diameter.    -   2. Unique soft yellow and maroon bi-colored ray florets.    -   3. Flower color (ray florets) changes under cool temperatures of        spring and fall to a pink blush with a maroon center.    -   4. Grass green foliage.    -   5. Very free branching.    -   6. Very free flowering.    -   7. Mounding habit.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(cuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttingsand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

FIG. 1 shows a one year old Coreopsis ‘Autumn Blush’ growing in theground in full sun in the garden in August in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a close up of the early fall flowers showing the colorrange with cooler temperature.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Coreopsis cultivarbased on observations of a one-year-old specimen grown in the ground infull sun in the trial fields under typical outdoor conditions in Augustin Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperaturesrange from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to 32 degrees F. inJanuary. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The colordescriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 6 to 9.        -   Size.—70 cm wide and 45 cm tall to top of flowers.        -   Form.—Mound.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, Grey Brown, 199D, stems root easily from            stem cuttings.-   Stem:    -   -   Type.—Ascending.        -   Size.—34 cm tall and 3 mm wide.        -   Internode length.—5 to 8 cm.        -   Surface.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Deep Green, between Green 137A and Yellow Green 147A.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Compound, odd pinnate.        -   Shape.—Ovate, slightly cupped.        -   Lobing.—2 to 5 pinnatifid, linear, each lobe 1 to 2 mm wide            and 1 to 3.5 cm long.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Length including petiole.—5 to 8 cm, basal leaves can grow            to 9.5 cm, leaf size decreases towards stem tip.        -   Width.—3.5 to 4.5 cm.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Surface texture. —Glabrous.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Top side — Deep Green, between Green 137A and Yellow            Green 147A.        -   Bottom.—Yellow Green 147B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Long stalked terminal heads of daisy type flowers.        -   Peduncle description.—3.5 to 11 cm tall and 1 mm wide,            glabrous, Yellow Green 146A.-   Flower bud: Round shape, 7 mm wide and 7 mm deep, top half Greyed    Orange 163C with the tip Greyed Purple 187A, the bottom half is    Yellow Green 148A.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Perfect, zygomorphic.        -   Size.—3.5 cm wide and 11 mm deep.        -   Ray florets.—Number: 8. Shape: obovate with the tip three            lobed with lobes obtuse and notched and the central lobe the            longest, base is quilled with an appendage or lobe which is            linear and 4 to 8 mm long and 1 to 1.5 mm wide, margins            entire. The ray florets open quilled then flatten out. Size:            grows to 19 mm long, 11 mm wide. Texture: soft, velvety,            glabrous. Color: Ray floret, topside — Yellow 4B with the            bottom ⅓ and edges of the floret Red Purple 59A; in cool            temperatures the yellow on the top ⅔ changes to Red 36D. Ray            floret, bottom side — Yellow 4A.        -   Disc.—Rounded in overall shape, 11 mm wide and becoming 4 mm            deep with maturity, Greyed Orange 163B or C when in bud,            opening to Yellow Orange 17B.        -   Disc florets.—7 mm long and 1 mm wide, tubular, entire            Orange 22A at the apex to Yellow Orange 13B near base.        -   Pistil description.—On disc florets only, 5 mm long,            extruding, 2-branched stigma, Orange 17A.        -   Stamen description.—On disc florets only, 5 in number,            filaments less than 2 mm long, Black 202A, pollen sparse,            Yellow Orange 17A.        -   Bloom period.—June through September in Canby, Oreg.        -   Fragrance.—Light, Chrysanthemum-like.-   Seed: None produced.    -   -   Fertility.—Infertile.-   Disease and pests: Coreopsis are susceptible to mildew and fungal    spots. No resistance is known for this variety.

COMPARISONS TO SIMILAR COREOPSIS

Compared to Coreopsis auriculata ‘Nana’, an unpatented plant and thepollen parent, this new cultivar has similar flower size and petal shapebut with narrow leaves and bicolor flowers of light yellow and marooninstead of yellow orange.

Compared to Coreopsis rosea ‘Sweet Dreams’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,720),this new cultivar has bicolor flowers of light yellow and maroon ratherthan purple and white. Both are freely branching and flowering with anoutwardly spreading habit.

Compared to the seed parent, Coreopsis rosea ‘Limerock Ruby’ mutant, thenew cultivar is frost hardy to USDA Zone 6 rather than Zone 10 and hasbicolor flowers of light yellow and maroon rather than solid maroonflowers.

1. A new and distinct Coreopsis plant named ‘Autumn Blush’ as hereinillustrated and described.